24 masterclass lessons in decorating with color

As anyone who has been through the process of searching for room color ideas will attest, choosing the right color for a room can be a minefield with endless choices and subtle nuances to understand and overcome. 

'Choosing color is one of the hardest parts of decorating because we only actually know the true color of something because it’s sitting next to another color,' says Rachel Chudley, an interior designer renowned for her use of strong color.

'When you’re thinking about color for your home, you have to first start by standing in the middle of the room, and explore what will be around the color – where the light is coming in, the architectural qualities of the room and even what is outside the window. If you have foliage outside which the light has to filter though, that green is going to be cast throughout that room. These considerations will help you understand what the color will read as in the space.'

Here designers, decorators and experts reveal how to approach choosing room color ideas and decorating with color with confidence, from using the color wheel to create strong color combinations to using accent shades and neutrals.